


Dirty Boxing

by boo_boo_thefool



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Gen, Happy Hogan Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Protective Happy Hogan, Protective Tony Stark, Sokovia Accords, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, he'll get the hang of it, i do not know how to tag this bear with me for a sec, ill add more tags when i get my shit together im spitballing here, no beta we die like meh, someone get happy a Parenting For Dummies book, that mess never happens in this universe, this is a happy & peter event itll make sense eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-05-16
Packaged: 2020-02-08 17:56:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18628327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boo_boo_thefool/pseuds/boo_boo_thefool
Summary: In which Spider-Man shows up on Ross' radar and Tony is forced to send him away to keep him safe. Too bad Happy just got bumped up to Asset Management.





	1. one

**Author's Note:**

> HELLO this is my first fic for marvel blah blah blah ive been creeping the iron dad tag for like a year. so obviously im gonna write a happy & peter centric fic. i graduate in three weeks so i cant promise frequent updates but i have writen a 100k+ fic before so i do have some credibility. im just a lazy ass. this was a very spur of the moment decision please forgive me. ALSO no endgame spoilers in this at all. that shit never happens. i wrote this to cope. this is a safe space.

The back of Peter’s neck throbs as the vigilante swings through Queens, though there is no immediate danger—at least from what he can tell. His spider-sense has been bothering him since school let out last month, but it’s not like the usual sharp pangs he experiences during fights or the general unease he feels when he’s overwhelmed and near something vaguely dangerous. After he got bit, it took him nearly a year to finally understand how exactly his sixth sense works, but apparently it has found a new way to put him on edge. Everytime he leaves his apartment—masked or not—he feels a churning in his gut telling him that something is horribly wrong. Peter just can’t figure out what.

He runs across rooftops and webs between buildings with more haste than usual. Today is Friday, which means that he gets to hang out at the compound with Mr. Stark all weekend. Peter is incredibly excited to see his mentor (last week’s visit was cancelled last minute due to confidential Avengers business—Tony had to be in Washington for some important meeting) but that’s not the only reason why he’s rushing. He also happens to be a tad bit late to meeting Happy at his and May’s apartment and Peter knows that Happy is prone to impatience when it comes to carting Peter between home and the compound. Peter doesn’t blame him for it, though—the compound is an hour drive away.

Getting home faster also means that the dull throbbing will go away.

Peter sighs in relief when he finally sees his building growing larger on the horizon and gives one last valiant sprint to his destination. He flings himself onto the rough brick wall and lowers himself down to his seventh-floor window in one swift movement. What follows is less graceful, however, and he tumbles to the floor of his cluttered bedroom. There’s not a moment to spare, though, so Peter quickly recovers, ripping off his mask and dashing to the living room.

“I’m here! I’m here!” He pants as he leans against the door frame, relishing in the absence of his spider-sense. “I’m really sorry I’m late, Mr. Happy. A little girl’s cat was stuck up in a tree and she was really upset so I just had to help but the cat really didn’t like me—”

Peter has caught Happy off-guard, he realizes, and gives gives himself a metaphorical pat on the back for managing to surprise the former Head of Security of one of the biggest tech companies on Earth.

“Don’t worry about it, Pete,” is Happy’s reply, said hastily as he finishes off the plate of chocolate cake he has. “May was keeping me company—have you tried the cake she’s made? Absolutely to die for.”

Peter wonders if Happy’s choice of words is on purpose or if he actually likes the cake. May might be a good cook, but baking doesn’t fall into her skill-set. Maybe the store-bought frosting is saving the creation. At least, that’s what he wants to believe, not the glaringly obvious crush that Happy has on Peter’s aunt.

“No, actually, uh—”

“How kind of you, Happy!” May exclaims, smiling brightly at the man before turning to fake-sneer at Peter. “At least someone appreciates my cooking.”

“I gotta go change,” Peter says before the situation has time to escalate, “don’t leave without me!”

He hears Happy scoff as he’s on his way back to his room, followed by a “Take your time!” from May.

 

-

 

The Sokovia Accords might just be the biggest mess that’s ever happened to Tony Stark. In his opinion, at least. He knew it wouldn’t be over once Rogers went into hiding, but what Tony didn’t realize was that he’d be alone to deal with it once the Rogues were gone. Rhodey was a big help but between the man’s physical therapy, military work, and Vision’s disappearance, it really was mostly Tony cleaning up the mess.

Tony kind of wished everyone was back just so they would have to help out. That’s definitely the only reason why he would want them back—nothing else to see here! Just Thaddeus Ross being the bane of his existence.

Whether or not Ross knew about his involvement in the Raft prison break was yet to be seen, but the man was definitely holding something over Tony’s head. Threatening him to approve amendments to the already-broken accords. Amendments that didn’t include taking out all the humans’ rights violations—like the whole imprisonment without trial for vigilantes, tracking bracelets for enhanced humans and mutants thing.

What Ross did know, however, was of Tony’s connection to a certain spider-themed vigilante. That was evident from their meeting in D.C. last week. And that scared Tony. Really scared him. The combination of enhanced kid who’s possibly stronger than Captain America and man who was once tasked with re-creating the Super Soldier Serum is horrifying. Especially when you throw enhanced kid who I love into the mix. Not that he’d ever admit that out loud.

“Boss,” FRIDAY interrupts. “Mr. Parker has arrived at the compound.”

Tony snaps back into reality and smiles to himself, “Tell him to get his ass down here, then.”

“He’s already on his way down, sir.” If an A.I. could sound smug, FRIDAY was achieving it at the moment.

As if on cue, the elevator dings and Peter skips out into the lab, the boy beaming at his mentor when he catches sight of him. “You won't believe the week I've had, Mr. Stark,” he says as he bounds up to the man, hugging Tony from behind from where he sits at a work table. If you had told Tony that this kid would be the light of his life when they first met about a year-and-a-half ago, he wouldn’t believe you.

“Hit me, squirt,” Tony knows that he doesn't have to tell Peter to continue, but it’s nice for him to have some semblance of control in this relationship.

“Well,” Peter is already grabbing his rolling chair and pushing it over to Tony’s desk. When he sits down he realizes that he hasn’t even taken his backpack off yet and shrugs it to the floor. “I stopped a mugger at Delmar’s on Monday, so I get free sandwiches for life now. Only downside is that it’s Spider-Man who gets the sandwiches—not me. So if I go in there all the time asking for extra pickles we’ll have an identity breach on our hands.”

“Wouldn’t want that, would we?” Tony snarks, crossing his arms.

“Shut up—” Peter backfires. “It was one time.”

“Twice now, actually. Three if you count me. Four if you want to include Happy—”

“Anyways!” Peter leans down to dig his suit out of his backpack and hauls the mound of fabric up onto the desk. “Today I ran into a cat stuck in a tree and—I swear, Mr. Stark—if the suit wasn’t semi-bulletproof I’d probably be in the medbay by now.” Tony watches as Peter brings the sleeves of the suit up to his face, examining minuscule scratches that wouldn’t be visible if not for his enhanced eyesight. “Also, Happy still has a massive crush on May, and it still makes me want to die.”

“What about summer reading, though? You getting that done?” Tony asks, already knowing the answer. He chuckles when Peter groans and drops the suit, spinning around in his chair.

“Great Expectations sucks and I hate it.” Is his initial response. “But I like the part where Pip and Herbert count their money to procrastinate solving their debt problem. That shit’s relatable as heck—”

Tony can’t stop himself before he utters out a: “Language.”

“Right, sorry, of course,” Peter amends. “Relatable as hell.”

Tony rolls his eyes.

“Hamlet isn’t so bad once you re-learn how to read. I think it’s growing on me. We have an essay due on whether or not Hamlet actually went insane—do you have an opinion on that?” Peter takes a breath for the first time since he has entered the lab.

“Hmm…” Tony rubs at his beard for a moment. “Well, you know that people who get hired to monitor conspiracy circles on the internet eventually start to believe whatever they’re watching, after a while.”

Peter just stares at him for a moment before responding. “Wait, really?”

Tony nods, “Yeah, it’s real prevalent in flat-earthers. But why don’t you like Great Expectations?”

Without a beat, Peter replies: “It sucks—”

Tony pushes Peter’s chair back slightly, “It almost directly mirrors your life in some aspects. At least concerning me trying—and failing—to throw money at you.”

“Whatever,” Peter says. “What are we doing today? We need to make up for lost time. I had this idea that if I could make my web-fluid less toxic it could be used to staunch wounds. I mean, I’d probably be fine with whatever toxins are already in it—’cause healing factor, duh—but I was thinking that it might be helpful when it comes to civilians.”

Tony considers it for a moment. “Sounds like a good idea, kid, but you gotta deal with the organic chemistry involved. That's your area of expertise. We might be able to patent that—” Before Tony can say anything else, the kid is already up and heading for his chemistry station.

 

-

 

For movie night, they decide to watch 2001: A Space Odyssey because it’s Tony’s turn to pick, Peter was born in 2001, and all Peter knows about it comes from that God-awful Willy Wonka remake (“It’s not awful, Mr. Stark! Just because you didn’t grow up with it doesn't make it awful!”). During the movie, Peter asks if Tony had ever considered one of his A.I.s going rogue. Tony doesn't reply but he does bark out a cynical laugh.

Peter eventually slumps over onto Tony’s shoulder, which Tony doesn't blame him for considering that the movie is two-and-a-half hours long with minimal dialogue. After it’s over, Tony sits with Peter in the dark for a couple minutes, running a hand through the kid’s soft hair. Just when Tony is about to concede defeat and carry Peter to his room, the boy speaks up.

“I think something is wrong.”

The words are ominous and Tony must have whiplash now with how fast he turns to Peter, still on his shoulder and peering up at him through the dark.

“You can’t say things like that.” Tony’s whisper is harsh, and he doesn’t know why he’s whispering because they’re the only ones in Tony’s suite. “Immediately? Right now?” Peter doesn't answer right away, instead sighing and digging his head further into the crook of Tony’s neck. “Peter.” Tony’s voice is stern, and Peter knows he can’t delay the truth any longer. He can hear and feel Tony’s heart speeding up with every beat.

“I dunno.” His voice is slightly muffled. “But I- I can’t take it anymore. My spider-sense—whenever I go outside it starts pounding and I thought it would go away eventually but it just keeps getting worse—”

“How long?” It’s more a command than a question, and Peter bites his lip. He’s prone to keeping things like this a secret but this time it feels different.

“The end of May. When school let out.”

It’s quiet for a bit after that, but Tony doesn’t stop running his hands through Peter’s curls the whole time. Peter knows that Tony is skeptical of his aforementioned sixth-sense. It’s accuracy is almost paranormal—almost magic. It’s hard to believe that someone can unconsciously pick up on so much information, so much that they have a danger-sense dedicated to it. They’ve tested Peter’s spider-sense before, but the results were always inconclusive. Peter thought that it was because he wasn’t in any real danger—Tony was there, after all—but that just aggravated the man more. Tony trusts Peter, though. Trusts that Peter is innocent and young enough not to try and purposefully hurt him, so when Peter warns him about something with his spider-sense, he listens.

“What do you think it is?” Tony’s voice is low, the serious situation accentuated by the full moon shining through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

“I dunno.” He says again, and he really doesn’t. “This has never happened before. It almost… it almost makes me feel sick.” When Peter looks back up, Tony is staring at the black television screen. “I think I’m being watched.”

Tony’s eyes flick over to him, and in that split-second Peter sees fear. Fear that was nothing like that present at the ferry incident. This was raw, petrified fear.

Tony recovers with practiced ease, though, and he smiles that fake smile of his at the wall ahead of him, not able to look Peter in the eye when he does it. “I’ll look into it as soon as possible, kiddo. We’ll have this figured out before you leave Sunday night. It’ll be okay—”

“I know,” Peter say, still looking to Tony for guidance and inwardly begging him to glance his way, at least one more time. “I have faith in you.”

“Thank you for telling me,” Tony says, and it reminds Peter of the automated response of Happy’s voicemail. “Why don’t we get you to bed?” With that, Tony abruptly stands, practically forcing Peter off of him but amending it by offering a hand to help the boy up.

Since the homecoming incident, Peter’s room has been moved from the empty hall where the rest of the teams’ quarters used to be, to a spare room across from Tony’s in the man’s suite. Peter didn't actually know that he had any other room until after the fact since he never got the chance to use the other one (well, Tony did tell him about it the day he turned down being a member of the Avengers, but Peter honestly thought it was a test and that Tony wasn’t being serious), but he was thankful nonetheless. Peter would’ve hated being alone in that wing of the building, and he was pretty sure that Tony did it because he wanted Peter close by. In arms reach in case anything happened.

Once they get to his room, Peter stops in the doorway and turns to face Tony, “I’m sorry.” Tony just stares at him for a moment, and Peter has no doubt that his mentor is picking apart every reason why he might’ve said that. “Please sleep tonight.”

Tony averts his gaze, and by the way he’s acting, anyone not in the man’s inner circle wouldn’t recognize him.

“I don’t know if I would be able to, honestly.” Tony finally says, and looks back to the boy. “But you don't need to be sorry. You did the right thing by telling me. You know what I say—”

Peter grins and looks down, sheepish, “Take your sorry’s and put them in a sack.”

“Exactly,” it’s Tony who initiates the hug this time, which is something that doesn't happen often. “Sweet dreams, Underoos.”

“I’ll try,” Peter responds, head firmly planted on Tony’s shoulder. “For the both of us.”


	2. two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony makes a list, Rhodey goes through some lists, and Happy wishes that he had retired sooner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! im not as pleased with this one but let me tell you the one after this gets the ball rolling and honestly makes me a little emo. also, if you read close to the ground (which you probably did because that one is a lot more popular than this one) and wanted more, be careful what you wish for. i haven't started anything but i do have an outline and it is straight angst. enjoy!! i love your feedback!!
> 
> also please be nice about any errors. no beta AND i edited this in a hurry bc im exhausted and am in for a very eventful weekend :)

To Tony’s credit, he doesn't go straight to the lab. The first thing he does is go to his bedroom and request that FRIDAY tells him when the kid falls asleep. Then he goes over the facts.

Peter’s spider-sense, to Tony’s knowledge, has never been wrong. Sure, neither of them know completely  _ why _ it works, but it does. Not only does it work, but the kid’s sixth-sense is also fine-tuned to his surroundings—you can’t fool it into anything. The sole factor behind Peter’s identity slip-ups with May and his friend are that he  _ trusts  _ them. The spider-sense will not go off should it be triggered by someone Peter intimately trusts, even if that person has bad intentions.

Peter’s spider-sense is doing something that it has never done before, going off for months under the one condition that Peter is outside.

Peter actually told Tony about this. He didn't hide it and he came clean without prompting.

Ross is an asshole who not only knows that Tony knows who Spider-Man is, but also isn’t above threatening a child to get what he wants—especially if that child is an enhanced vigilante who is, technically, breaking the law. The purpose of his trip to Washington was to come to an agreement on the accords, but all Tony came home with was a threat if he didn’t comply with Ross’ wishes.

Tony can’t comply, though, because the accords would still contain material dangerous to enhanced people. Even if Tony agreed to the amendments, Peter would still be in danger. Peter’s in danger right now. Still, if all the mess about revealing your identity wasn’t in there, Peter is a month-and-a-half shy of his sixteenth birthday—his signature isn’t legally binding.

It’s not like Tony didn’t already know some of this already. He was very well aware that the accords weren’t safe, especially for Peter, but he firmly believed that he could fix them—he still does. Maybe if he had known how much he would come to care for Peter, he wouldn’t have taken that risk. Maybe he wouldn’t have even involved Peter in the first place. But then again, if Tony wasn’t involved, Peter would still be Spider-Man. He just wouldn't have Tony Stark protecting him. 

“FRIDAY,” he sighs, dragging a hand down his face and dropping to the bed. “Is there any way for us to find out definitively that Ross is after Peter?”

“Are you asking me to break into the server of the Secretary of State, boss?” FRIDAY retorts, and yeah, it sounds silly now that she’s saying it out loud. 

“Do you think you could do it without getting caught?” Tony asks, looking to the ceiling even though he knows that she’s not an omnipresent force looming over the compound. 

FRIDAY hums, calculating risks, percent errors, and a million other things at once. Finally, her voice chimes through: “I recommend you ask Colonel Rhodes if he can gain access before you take those measures, sir.”

Tony ponders it for a moment—he has to admit, he didn’t think of that. “He has the clearance to that stuff?”

“From what I can tell he should be able to get the bare minimum of what you need without having to do anything illegal.”

“I didn't program you to be snarky, FRI, and as if that makes it any better. What Peter is doing is already illegal.” Tony shuts his eyes and massages his temples. He definitely has a migraine coming soon. Maybe he  _ should _ sleep tonight. “Fine. Shoot Rhodey a text and tell him that it’s urgent. I don't care if it’s one in the morning. Ask him to look into whatever government database he can get his hands on, keyword: Peter Parker. Put special attention on Ross’ shit and lists of known enhanced humans. Or mutants. I don’t think anyone knows what to call him.”

Tony groans and runs a hand through his hair, “What’s the likelihood that someone from Peter’s school has a creepy crush and is stalking him at all hours of the day?”

“Slim to none, sir,” even FRIDAY sounds disappointed. 

 

-

 

Tony only gets a couple of hours of sleep, but he takes it in stride. Peter would probably be proud anyway.

Tony usually makes breakfast for the kid when he’s staying at the compound and, yes, he  _ can _ cook. Ever since the omelet incident with Pepper, he’s been learning to cook something actually edible. He’s been getting a lot of practice, too, thanks to Peter coming over so often. So today’s menu consists of eggs and toast—simple, but Tony honestly does not have the attention span to do anything else at the moment.

Not with Rhodey telling him that he’d call Tony later that night after he had gathered the needed information. 

No time to stew over that, though, because Peter eventually half-asleep stumbles into the kitchen with bedhead and donning one of Tony’s old S.I. sweatshirts. 

“What’s the temp outside, FRI? No reason for our spider to be getting cold this time of year.” Tony says, looking over his shoulder at the boy with a quirked brow. 

FRIDAY’s answer comes immediately, “The current temperature in Upstate New York is seventy-one degrees Fahrenheit with the forecasted high being eighty-four.” Tony hums at this and bumps shoulders with Peter when the boy arrives at his side. 

“Big clothes comfort me,” Peter says, eyeing the ludicrous amount of eggs that Tony is scrambling in the pan. He can see Tony’s frown in his peripheral vision, so he quickly amends his statement, “Not that I needed to be comforted, or anything. Let me live.” 

“Of course,” Tony says, shuffling the eggs one last time before transferring four-fifths of it to a plate for Peter. As he passes him the plate, Tony puts a hand on the kid’s shoulder, “Listen, I’m looking into it as we speak. You don’t need to worry about that today, got it?” 

Peter takes a deep breath before grinning up at his mentor, “Got it. Now, where’ve you put the pepper?” 

-

 

Time flies when you’re having fun. Their day went along without a hitch, the two retreating to the lab by noon and only coming up when it was time for lunch. Peter works on his new web-fluid but eventually takes a break and falls asleep on the lab’s couch while finishing Hamlet.

It’s then, as the sun is setting, that Rhodey finally calls. 

Tony scrambles up to leave the sound-proofed lab and eventually settles against the wall next to the elevator, answering the call as he watches Peter sleep through the thick glass separating them. 

“Tell me you didn't find anything,” Tony says, not even bothering to say hello to his best friend. Rhodey has met Peter on a couple of occasions, but most of what the man knows about Tony’s “intern” comes from Tony bragging about him like a proud parent. He does know that Peter isn’t just an intern, though. Rhodey’s not an idiot—he could tell the second he heard the kid’s voice for the first time. 

“I wish I could, Tones,” and with that, Tony’s heart sinks. “That kid is on a couple of watch lists from what I can tell, but that’s not the worst of it. He’s even got his own file, mostly redacted.” 

“Damnit,” this was not the news Tony wanted to hear. “Shit, God-fucking-damnit—”

“Tony,” Rhodey, sounding increasingly concerned, interrupted. “All this information was entered  _ months _ ago, how is it a problem only now?” 

“Ross threatened me,” Tony spits out. “He said I’d regret not agreeing with him on the accords—he’s got an ace up his sleeve, Rhodey. And the best part? Just last night, Peter tells me that he thinks someone is stalking him.” 

“What the fuck?” Rhodey has always liked the kid, so his response doesn’t surprise Tony. “You think it’s Ross? Isn’t that a low blow?”

“Not when no one really knows  _ what  _ exactly Peter is. Especially when Ross tried recreating Steve’s serum all those years ago. You know what happened with Bruce—”

“Yeah,” Tony hears Rhodey sigh over the connection. “So, what are we gonna do about it?”

“We can’t just ask Ross if he’s planning on kidnapping my kid. Then he’d know that we know.”

“It’s not kidnapping if it’s legal,” Rhodey pauses and then lets out an amused breath. “Did you just say ‘ _ your kid _ ’?”

“Shut up, Rhodes.” Tony grits out. “I’m kinda having a conniption at the moment. I think I can get the accords up and running if I pull a few strings, but I’m not letting Ross win in the meantime.”

“But how do we deal with Peter?” Rhodey asks. “Keep him locked up in the compound? He won’t like that.”

Tony bites his lip, “You think he’d be safe here?”

“Yeah,” Rhodey says after contemplating it for a moment. “But if they came for him, you’d get caught in the crossfire.” 

Tony scoffs, “Aren’t I always, though?” 

“I’m being serious, Tones,” now he’s using his MIT days  _ mother hen  _ voice. “We both know that you wouldn’t let Peter get taken without a fight, and then you’d be in legal trouble too. You won’t be able to help him if you’re in prison for harboring a vigilante.” 

“Don’t say it like that,” Tony snaps. “Peter’s not doing anything morally wrong—” 

“I know, Tony. I’m on your side. I’m just saying, it might be for the best if you two distance yourselves.”

“You think he needs to leave New York?”

“I think he needs to leave the U.S., Tony.”

“He can go to Malibu—”

“Tony.” 

Tony knows that Rhodey is right. So long as Peter doesn’t go out as Spider-Man, he’ll be able to seek refuge from prosecution in another country. It’s exactly what the Rogues are doing in Wakanda, except Tony doesn’t want Peter anywhere near them. Sure, Peter would probably be fine in Wakanda (he’d actually probably love the place, what with all the tech there) but after what happened in Siberia, Tony has second thoughts. It feels disingenuous to send Peter to live with the people who he was recruited to fight in Germany. If Peter gets caught hanging out with war criminals he’ll be in even more trouble.

“I know it isn’t fair, Tony.” Rhodey starts up again. “I know he makes you happy and sending him away is the last thing you want to do, but this is Peter’s safety we’re talking about. He’s your kid and you love him—” Tony wants to fight it but he knows that it’s useless at this point “—but this is what’s best. We can still fix this.” 

“Okay,” Tony says, and it’s soft. “I’ll… I’ll have to talk to him about it. Talk to his aunt—God, if she didn’t hate me before, she’ll hate me now.” 

“It’ll be okay, Tones.” Tony is glad that he has Rhodey on board now. He probably wouldn’t be able to do all this on his own in a timely fashion.

“Try to find Vision in the meantime—he’ll be a big help if we can get him back.”

“Got it.” Tony knows that he’d be a better fit for finding Vision, but he honestly just can’t deal with that right now. “Our boy is gonna be okay.” 

Tony cocks a brow, “Our boy? What’s gotten into you, Rhodey?” 

Rhodey makes a noncommittal noise, and Tony can practically see the older man shrugging him off. “If you’re his dad, I’m his honorary uncle.” 

“Dear Lord,” between the insinuation that he’s Peter’s dad and Rhodey’s jab at them being brothers (which, yeah, okay, you’ve got him there), Tony can feel his acid reflux kicking in. “That’s disgusting, platypus, I’m hanging up before I vomit. Thanks for that.” 

Rhodey’s laughing rings through the line but true to his word, Tony hangs up. 

And now he’s alone with his thoughts.

Tony heads back into the lab where Peter’s still sound asleep and unceremoniously plops himself onto the ground next to the arm of the couch. Peter looks peaceful but also ridiculous, arms splayed out and off the cushions and book crumpled against his chest, donning a used book sticker that Peter had attempted (and failed) to scrape off. 

Tony takes the book from the boy before any more damage can be done to it, straightening out a few of the pages that had been unattractively folded during the kid’s sleep but also dog-earring the page he left off on. After that, he takes the arm hanging off the sofa and folds it over the kid’s chest, followed by brushing a tuft of hair out of Peter’s face. It’s completely unnecessary, but he does it anyway.

He needs a gameplan before he lets anyone else in on the severity of the situation. He’s already convinced himself that Wakanda is out of the picture for a multitude of reasons, so he doesn’t bother entertaining the idea again. 

Canada would be a good option—close to home so that Tony could visit if needed, but Peter doesn’t like cold weather. If Tony is gonna force the kid to go into hiding, he doesn't want him to be miserable. That and Tony doesn't own a home there already. It would be easy to buy one, obviously, but he doesn’t want to draw any more attention to this than necessary. 

So, stipulations: a place Tony already owns outside of the U.S., somewhere Peter won't be unhappy to be stuck. He’s going to be unhappy anyway, but if he’s in a scenic location maybe he won't be more despondent than necessary.

And then it hits him.

 

\- 

 

“You want us to  _ WHAT? _ ” May Parker screeches, and she’s not out of line.

It’s been nearly a week since Peter has dropped his bombshell, and Tony has finally hashed out all the details of his plan. The only thing left to do is to tell everyone. 

“Listen, I know it’s crazy, but I’ve got this great little villa in Italy—” 

“Tony,” she says, exasperated. “I’m still caught up on the part where you  _ casually  _ brought up the fact that the Secretary of State has my nephew on multiple watch lists! What the hell!” 

Tony’s glad that Peter is at Ned’s house instead of at this meeting because the situation that he’s landed himself in is an absolute shit show. If telling May was this hard, he can’t imagine how hard telling Peter will be. “May, please, just hear me out. Rhodey and I are gonna fix this problem—I swear—but it would be best if Peter is out of the picture while we do it. The only reason we’re sending you away is that  _ if  _ someone comes after Peter, he’ll be off the grid. Even if someone finds you, you’ll be safest not in New York.” Tony looks to Happy, who has been quiet since the news came out, “Back me up, Hap. You were Head of Security for years.”

Happy puts his hands up in a placating gesture, “I don't know anything about that, Tony. I was just a bodyguard.” Tony sneers but leaves him be. He’s about to go over the plan again when May speaks up.

“And you want both of us to just- just uproot our lives? Tony, I have a job! I can’t just leave! Peter has school next month!” 

“Peter’s so smart I hardly think that matters. If you’re really that worried, we can have him tested out. And I can give you money, money’s not the issue here.” May is very obviously displeased by the sour expression on her face. She leans over, puts her head into her hands, and lets out a long groan. 

After a short silence, May asks, “What does Peter think of all this?” She looks up from her hands and stares at Tony. 

Tony’s reluctance speaks a thousand words, “He’s… in the dark at the moment. I wanted to talk to you first.” Which is only half true. He was putting off telling Peter out of the fear that Peter would hate him for making him do this. 

“And you’ve thought this through?” May asks, and she sounds miserable. Tony hates himself for ruining this family. “I can’t just leave Tony, and I don’t want your money. If this man  _ does  _ come after Peter, who’s to say that the both of us being gone won’t turn more heads?”

Tony freezes, unable to comprehend what May is suggesting. “Are you saying he go alone?”

“No!” May backtracks. “I’m just saying that we’ll need a good, believable cover story.”

“Have you got any other family?” Happy finally breaks his silence. “We could send Peter to them?” 

“Just us, I’m afraid,” is her reply. She looks bittersweet, but after a moment her eyebrows raise and she looks back to Tony. “But, we do have Happy.” 

“Happy?” Tony repeats. At the same time, the man in question lets out a nonplussed “Me?” Tony studies Happy, the other uncomfortable under the gaze as his boss picks him apart. 

“Are you suggesting that  _ I  _ go with Peter? To Italy? I can’t do that!” Happy defends. He likes Peter, sure, but he and the kid have a bad reputation together. Especially since the homecoming incident, when Happy’s negligence to Peter nearly got the boy killed.

“Why not?” Tony asks. “It’s not like you have anything else you’re doing. Peter trusts you, May trusts you, I trust you. It’ll be like a vacation! I’ll tell you what, Hap, my place is right on the beach. Secluded, low-key, been in the family as long as I can remember. I used to stay there during summer break when I was about Pete’s age.” 

Happy still looks skeptical, “I can’t take care of a kid, Tony. He’s the only kid I’ve ever been around and I’m awful at it. I don’t know how to.”

“Happy,” May’s voice is sweet, and she leans forward to place a hand on the man’s knee. “Neither did my husband and I. Neither did Tony!” She jerks her hand back and gestures to the billionaire, “Look at him! If he could do it, you can do it.”

“I resent that,” Tony pipes up. “But she’s not entirely wrong. It’s not like Pete’s a baby—he’s very self-sufficient. You’re responsible for making sure he’s responsible, remember?” 

“He might be smart,” May adds, “but he has no common-sense. You’ll have to watch out for that.”

“Oh, yeah,” Tony agrees. “He’s a real dumbass when he wants to be. And he’ll probably be real pissy in the beginning, but it’s me he’ll be mad at. Not you.” 

“Jesus Christ,” Happy tilts his head back and drags a hand down his face. “I can’t believe I’ve gotten myself into this situation. Roomies with the spider-kid.” 

“So you’ll do it?” May asks, looking hopeful. 

And Happy can’t turn that woman down. “For you, May,” he says. “I guess I will.” 


	3. three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a heartfelt goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long. i honestly hadnt realized two weeks had passed. whoops?

Peter’s pissed, and rightfully so. He doesn't think he’s been this mad at Tony since his suit was taken away but even then he was more disappointed than angry. You can’t just push ‘ _ fleeing the country _ ’ onto someone at the last minute. It had been a week since he walked in on what was, essentially, all the adults he knew having a secret meeting about shipping him to Italy.

It was hard to believe that Aunt May had agreed with Tony, especially after everything the two had gone through. They had made a pact that they would stay together, but now that was all out the window. Tony was at least gracious enough to update the apartment’s locks and add extra security so that Peter would worry a fraction less about his aunt’s safety, which Peter appreciated a lot, but the boy still felt that they might be safer together. But if there was one other person Peter could entrust his last remaining family’s well-being with, it was Tony Stark.

It was obvious that Aunt May was distraught regarding the situation, but she let him go anyway. Her actions spoke louder than any words could. Peter’s eyes are still damp from his goodbye to her, and if he imagines it hard enough, he can trick himself into smelling the ghost of her perfume. But he doesn't want to think about that right now, lest his heart breaks any further.

They've been on their way to the airport for an hour now—Happy driving and Tony sitting stiffly in the backseat beside him. Peter doesn’t want to be mad at Tony, though; he doesn’t want there to be a grudge between them. Desperately, he wants this whole situation to be a bad dream. Peter was mad at Uncle Ben last time he saw him and then—

Peter doesn’t want to be mad at Tony. Tony is helping him, even if he doesn't like the help he’s getting.

He can tell Mr. Stark is on edge by how he’s sitting, how his heart’s beating, how he’s drumming on his leather seat with his fingers. But Peter can’t find anything to say because what is there to say? They don't know the next time they’ll see each other and both are upset at the prospects of their situation.

Tony eventually straightens in his seat and Peter takes note of their destination quickly approaching, stomach turning at the sight of the plane in the distance. “You don't think anyone’s noticed, right?” Tony asks, eyes darting around the airport in the distance, desperate to see if anyone is there. By pulling some strings and making Peter leave in the middle of the night, he’s hoping that no one will notice that Peter is gone.

“No,” Peter says, tired. “I haven't felt anything since I got home last night.”

“Good.” And with that, they arrive. A self-flying Stark jet similar to the one Peter took to Germany is situated outside, about fifty feet away from where Happy has parked the car. No one moves for a couple of moments before Happy excuses himself, leaving Peter alone with Tony.

“Listen, Pete—”

Peter doesn't give him a chance, “I’m not going to hate you, Mr. Stark. I don't think I ever could.”

Tony’s eyes are downcast, but he nods anyway. “I know, kid.” He takes something out of the inner pocket of his suit jacket and Peter immediately recognizes it as a glasses case. “I’m… so sorry that I’ve dragged you into this.”

“It probably would've happened eventually, anyway,” Peter says, eyeing the case that Tony is fiddling with. “I hate it, but if you think this is what’s best, I’ll do it. I trust you.”

“It won’t be so bad, you’ll see.” Tony gives a sad smile, “I used to go there all the time when I was your age. It’s secluded so you can go swimming in the ocean whenever you want.”

“Because I love swimming so much,” Peter says dryly. Ever since Toomes dropped him into that river, Peter’s not been a big fan of large bodies of water.

“There’s a pool,” Tony says, wincing. “But I can’t guarantee it's up and running. I kinda abandoned the place when I was in my twenties. Come to think of it, it almost definitely isn’t in working condition. Maybe you and Happy can fix the place up for me and we can all hang out there next summer. You, me, Happy, May, Pepper, Rhodey. The whole bunch.”

“Yeah,” Peter sounds dejected and he doesn’t bother hiding it. “I wish I could stay.”

Lab days, weekends at the compound, building Lego with Ned, movie nights with May—all of it out the window. Peter doesn't mind spending time with Happy, but he’s apprehensive because, as far as he knows, the two of them have nothing in common. That and Happy never seems to want to talk to him.

“I do too, squirt,” Tony says, and Peter can tell that he means it. He doesn't think he’s ever seen his mentor so sad before. “But Rhodey and I are already working with the U.N. to fix this mess. You’ll be home before you know it.” Peter nods, and the car shakes as Happy unlocks the trunk to get their bags.

“How long?” Peter asks, not quite sure if he wants to know the answer. Counting the days down might just make them longer.

“Not forever,” is the answer, and even Tony can admit that it’s a bad one. “I’ll be working on it every single day. I will not rest until you’re home, Peter Parker.”

Peter smiles at the sentiment, but it’s bittersweet. “Indefinitely, though. Maybe not forever, but for the foreseeable future.”

“Don't live your life on a technicality, kid. No fun,” before Peter can begin to unpack that, Tony continues. “I have something for you,” he finally shakes the glasses case, and it rattles. “Don’t think of it as a going away present, though, because that bums me out. How about an early birthday gift?”

He hands Peter the case and under close inspection, he can tell that it’s made of worn, genuine leather. Peter thumbs over the burned in initials of _A.E.S._ on the front flap and suddenly feels very small. Vintage aviator sunglasses sit inside, with reflective red lenses and what Peter assumes is a real gold frame.

“These looks expensive,” Peter says, turning the glasses around in his hands. He’s given up on declining gifts from Mr. Stark, but that doesn't mean he can’t complain about Tony wasting his money on him.

“I actually don’t know,” Tony admits, surprising Peter. “They were given to me by the man who raised me. When I was around your age, my dad couldn't be bothered to drop me off at M.I.T. himself, so our butler did instead. Jarvis carted me to school, helped me unpack my dorm, and gave me those before he left. Now I’m giving them to you.”

Peter doesn't miss the obvious subtext in what Tony is trying to say, but he can’t accept a gift so precious. He’s about to shove the glasses back into the case when Tony plucks them out of his hands and inspects them.

“I improved the lenses, of course. The frame is original, but I thought you’d want the Spidey upgrade—I know you sometimes get overwhelmed and let me tell you, Italy is sunny.” Tony unfolds the arms and places the sunglasses onto Peter’s face with a practiced delicacy. “I added the hot-rod-red to them, too. I figured you’d like the color combo.”

Since it’s dark outside, Peter can’t accurately judge how well the glasses work—though he’s sure they’re great, what with Tony’s work on the eyepieces of his suit. “I don't know if I can accept this, Mr. Stark,” Peter starts, pushing the glasses down his nose to gaze over them at Tony.

“Well, they’re personalized, so you kinda have to,” Tony says, and Peter visibly slumps, making his mentor laugh. “Another win for team Stark,” he quips.

The air in the car is so somber that Peter wants to choke on it. He returns the glasses to their case and rubs at his eyes in an attempt to stunt his tears. The combined stress of everything is really starting to get to him.

“Look, Pete,” the tone of his mentor’s voice does no favors for Peter’s declining emotional state. “I have trouble articulating things like this, so you’ll have to forgive me for not doing it often. I… I care about you, but I don’t say it enough.”

“That doesn’t matter,” Peter intervenes, voice fierce with how much he believes in what he’s saying. “That’s not necessary—you show it enough that you don’t have to say anything.” And boy, does Mr. Stark give him a look once he says it, but that doesn’t stop him. “I know you love me, Mr. Stark. ‘Cause I love you, too.”

For a split second, Peter swears he can see tears welling up in the man’s eyes, but Tony composes himself before anything can come of it. He shakes his head, smiling to himself before looking to Peter.

“You could have at least given me the chance to say it,” he says, but it’s in good humor.

“I was worried,” Peter jests. “You know, what with your heart condition and all—”

To that, Tony barks, “Oh, you piece of shit,” shoving the kid lightly. “But you’re my piece of shit. We gotta bounce, kid. Let’s get this over with.”

But Peter doesn’t want to get it over with. He’d much rather stay in the limbo of the dark car for the rest of eternity, though Tony has other ideas. Before Peter can even think to do it himself, Tony is out and on his side of the car, opening the door for him. It’s a mercy in disguise—Peter doesn’t think he could have brought himself to open that door.

Even though he’s been expecting this moment, waiting in dreadful anticipation, Peter can’t help but feel panicked as he steps out and into the open air. As Mr. Stark puts an arm around him, Peter takes a moment to commit it to memory—the weight on his shoulders that keeps him grounded.

Peter spots Happy waiting by the jet bridge, watching with a sort of trepidation as they approach. He could only imagine how Happy feels about his role in the operation, considering that the man could hardly stand Peter’s excitement in Germany. Despite how it may seem, Peter knows that he can be a handful and doesn’t hold it against Happy. It’s not like the man isn’t making an effort—Peter knows that he felt guilty about everything that went down the night of Homecoming and has been trying to remedy their relationship ever since. In spite of Peter forgiving him, Happy still—on occasion—has a glint of concern and remorse in his eyes whenever his gaze falls upon the young vigilante.

And Peter can pinpoint the exact moment when that spark manifested. It had been that dreaded night in question that Tony had gone out to search for Peter once he turned up missing from the crash site. Happy had returned to the compound by the time that Tony dragged Peter to the facility for medical attention. It must have been a horrifying sight—a fifteen-year-old kid, wheezing and coughing his lungs out, covered in blood, burns, bruises, and soot. They had met eyes for a split second as Peter hobbled behind Tony, on their way to the medbay. Tony, completely oblivious to the moment as he was too busy ranting about  _ recklessness  _ and  _ I can’t believe you were just gonna go home after all that  _ and  _ you did a great job kid, but never scare me like that again. _

Peter trusts Happy, but it is evident that Happy doesn’t trust himself.

“Happy,” Tony claps his former bodyguard on the arm. “You take care of my kid, got it?” The way he says it is light, but Peter can tell there’s a deep sadness underneath. He steps back and collects Peter in his grasp, surprising the boy. 

“We’re there, Mr. Stark?” He asks, wrapping his arms around the man and resting his head on Tony’s shoulder. 

“Of course, Underoos.” Tony absentmindedly rubs Peter’s back as he looks to Happy from over the boy’s shoulder. “He’s a handful, Hap, I know—but I have faith in you. Just remember all the rules I’ve set out for the both of you.” 

As Tony talks, Peter shuts his eyes and lets himself commit the feeling of being held to memory. He doesn't know how he’ll be able to function without his support system—May, Tony, Ned.

“He likes his sandwiches smushed down flat,” Tony continues, swaying the two of them back and forth, ever so slightly. “And with extra pickles—you know I hate them but I order them anyway so I can give mine to him. And if he’s too angsty, just put on Star Wars and he’ll forget about it—not the prequels though, because they suck.” 

Peter chuckles softly at the admission, and Tony continues. “You already know he says ‘ _ sorry _ ’ too much, but if he does again, just tell him to put it in his ‘sorry sack’, that usually shuts him up. I’m off-loading that to you now, Happy, so I finally can get that weight off my shoulders.” Tony gives Peter one last squeeze, “I think I’ll miss it, though.”

Tony pulls away and holds Peter at an arm’s length away. “Don’t cause too much trouble, okay? Happy’s older than me—he can’t take the stress.” Peter nods and tries to smile, but he has a feeling that it doesn’t go over well thanks to the tears building up in his eyes. 

Tony pats Peter on the shoulder, “Now get out of here before I lose it. No one needs to see that.” He sends a pointed glance and a curt nod to Happy, who returns the gesture. Then and only then does he take a step away from his teenage protégé.

Peter stands frozen for a moment, staring at Tony. He really doesn't want to go. He already knew this, but it really hits him now, standing outside of the dark airport. It almost reminds him of their beginnings at the airport in Germany. 

Suddenly, there’s a hand on his arm, squeezing gently. “C’mon, kid,” Happy says, pulling Peter out of his stupor. When Peter glances over his shoulder, he notices that even Happy is remorseful about this. He doesn't want to separate Peter and Tony as much as the pair doesn’t want to be separated. 

Peter looks back to his mentor. If it hadn't been for their past year spent together, he’d be surprised by the emotion in Mr. Stark’s eyes. Tony’s arms are crossed as if he’s shielding himself from something, some great pain. 

What Peter wouldn't give to give him one last hug. To freeze time while in his mentor’s safe arms. 

“I guess I’ll see you when I see you, Mr. Stark,” Peter speaks in a slow, calculating way. Tony smiles and bows his head, making a ‘ _ shoo _ ’ motion with his hand. 

Peter finally gives in steps backward towards Happy. It isn't until he’s halfway up the jet bridge that Tony, ever to have the last word, shouts out a, “Love you too, kid!” Peter’s heart swells, and he falters on the steps. They’ve already been through this, but hearing the words actually come out of Tony’s mouth changes things. 

Peter pulls out his sunglasses and puts them on despite the darkness. Still, the sun rising on the horizon gives off enough light that Tony can see Peter’s best attempt at the patented ‘Tony Stark peace sign’.

And with that, he continues his ascent into the jet. Once on board, Happy shuts the door behind him, latching it shut. It all reminds Peter of his first trip on the jet, him buzzing with excitement as opposed to the somber atmosphere of today. Peter drops into a window seat on the side of the plane facing the direction they came in. Outside, he can see that Tony has returned to the car, in the driver’s seat this time, and he’s got his arm hanging out the window. Watching. Seeing Peter off. 

Peter idly wonders if it’s safe for him to be so close to a jet that’s about to take off, but he figures that Mr. Stark knows what he’s doing. He designed the jet, after all. 

Happy sits down across him, surprising him. On the flight to Germany, Happy nearly threw a fit at Peter sitting across from him. 

“Still no pilot?” Peter asks, sounding more lifeless than usual thanks to his newfound depression over leaving his family. 

“Still no pilot,” Happy confirms. The jet fires up, making Peter jump just like the last time. Planes still make him anxious, even more so since the incident with The Vulture. If you don’t count  _ that _ , when he was on the  _ outside  _ of the plane as it crashed, this is still just his second time flying. 

As Happy buckles in, Peter is reminded to do the same. “And we’re going to Italy?” 

“We land in France,” Happy says. “Then we take the car Tony has waiting on us to Italy. Eight-hour flight, one-hour drive. When we get there it’ll be eight o’clock in the evening, but noon here.” 

Happy was being oddly thorough, answering all the questions he would have asked if he had felt up to it. Peter almost didn’t notice the rattling of take-off. Outside, Tony becomes smaller in the distance. 

“I should’ve brought my camera,” Peter says, resting his chin on his fist. “May’s parents were from Italy. She’s always wanted to go.” He gazes out the window, the buildings on the ground becoming smaller and smaller. “It’s a shame the circumstances aren't different.” 

Happy doesn't say anything else, and Peter doesn't know if he wanted him to or not. When the jet stabilizes, Peter unbuckles his seatbelt and reclines his seat. He curls up on his side and shuts his eyes, willing the nightmare or reality to be over.

 

-

 

“Kid, wake up.”

There’s a tapping on Peter’s shoulder, worse than any alarm he’s ever had.

He cracks his eyes open, closing them almost immediately when he sees the sun streaming in through the window above him. There’s a blanket over him now, one that Happy must have draped over him. His sunglasses are also gone (which is probably a good thing, considering he’d most likely break them in his sleep), but when he turns over he finds them in the empty seat next to him. He flops his hand over, still groggy, to reach for the glasses. When he puts them on, the relief is instantaneous. Thanks to the tint of the lenses, everything is darker and bathed in red, which is the best color for sensitive eyes. Mr. Stark did a good job— 

Don’t think about that. 

He sits up, fixing his chair back, and runs a hand through his already messy hair. Happy must be satisfied because he returns to his seat across from Peter. He doesn't look like he’s gotten any sleep, but he must have gotten used to it after working for Tony all these years— 

“Buckle up, we’re landing soon and I’ve got to debrief you.” 

Peter rolls the blanket up into an inelegant ball and tosses it into the seat next to him. He stifles back a yawn, failing, and peers out the window. It’s just ocean. Or, the Balearic Sea, if he remembers anything from decathlon.

“I don't know how much of this has been gone over with you,” Happy starts, buckling in as well. “But I’ve been told to drill it into your head, so here we go.” Peter drags his attention to the man who’s probably about to bog him down with tons of rules and regulations. 

“First, the both of us need to keep a low profile while we’re here. I know you don’t have your suit, but still—absolutely no Spider-ing.” That’s right, Aunt May had taken his suit and boxed it up, placing it in the top of her closet for safe keeping. Tony had even double checked his bags to make sure Peter didn't have it (or any other related accessories) with him.

“I mean it, Parker. I don't care if a hospital is burning down. You’re already in trouble—getting caught acting outside of your home country without permission is a big Accords no-no.”

Peter smirks, “That’s if you get caught.”

Happy squints at the teen, “I swear, Peter—”

“Joking,” Peter says, raising his hands in defeat. “Just joking.” 

Happy shifts in his seat, “You better be, for all the trouble we’re having to go through. You’re too much like Tony for your own good, sometimes.” The expression isn't meant to fill Peter with pride, but it does. “Anyway, try not to tell anyone your life story. Stick to our cover if someone asks, but try not to divulge too much information. You’re Peter Hogan, I’m your uncle, and that’s all that matters.”

Peter scrunches up his nose at the name, “That’s not very catchy.”

“Not trying to get caught, remember? If we’re lucky, we won’t run into more people than necessary.” Peter doesn't like the idea of being locked away, no contact with the outside world, but he doesn't have much say in the situation. “When we touch down, we’re gonna get our bags and take them straight to the car. Keep your head down and  _ don’t  _ run off. I know you went to a party that night in Germany, and there will be absolutely none of that here, got it?” 

The party in Germany. That had been a strange experience, something he did spur of the moment after the high that went along with fighting the Avengers. 

“Got it,” Peter replies, bored. Tony has already told him the stipulations of his stay a dozen times. “No parties, no talking to people, no saving anyone, and no fun.”

“You’re starting to get the idea,” Happy says, deadpan. Peter can see the French coast approaching in the distance. “Just pretend you’re on vacation. Relax. Try not to look suspicious.” 

Vacation. The thing is, Peter has never really been on one of those—not really. His aunt and uncle took him to Niagara Falls when he was younger, but that was the most adventurous thing they ever did. May and Ben both had full-time jobs, and with the added stress of taking care of a child they never planned for, they never got a break.

If Peter’s parents ever took him on a vacation, he doesn't have any memory of it. 

Germany was more of a mission than a vacation, and Peter supposes that this is similar. 

A mission. It was just a mission. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY i know this is sketchy, but i wrote the part with the sunglasses A WEEK before the FFH trailer dropped. ive had that part planned for A YEAR. so if anything, marvel is copying me. please believe me
> 
> also, sorry if i update my other fic more often. that one seems to be more popular and gets more feedback so.. you know. priorities. ill be damned if i dont finish this though (the guilt would eat me alive)

**Author's Note:**

> youll have to forgive me for tony being the Main Man in the first few chapters but we gotta establish relationships first. this is a happy & peter event. dont worry. good things come to those who wait. remember that when i dont update for 10 years. we gotta get the ball rollin first.


End file.
